WHERE ARE THE SCOUTS?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 81, 9 April 1900, Page 2

WHERE ARE THE SCOUTS?

Since Blomfoctein opened its gates to the British forces there has beta an ominous. l ;ck of tews from the seat of war. Independent of the suspens<relative to Mafekiug, the absence of nuws aa to the movements of the vast, iii my now on the field was keenly f; 1 , i'.r d speculation was rife as to wka< was happening. Unfortunately "noj .mm" V.':ls cot gcx 1 ikw , a-id thi disappointment cuubi d by the DuornBj>rnit disaster \vaa gsaesa', Qa the

top of this comes intelligence of further loss at Reddersberg, the only gleam of ; Buccess being that obtained by Lord ' Methaen at Boshof, where after four hours' fighting against a handfal of Boers seven were killed and fifty-three captured, none escaping. A.t Doornspruit (where our loss was 450, including several New Zealandero and Imperial Yeomanry) as well as Reddersburg, the same fatal blunder seems to have been perpetrated by the officers ib command that has already far too often occurred in the course of the war. There can be no question that in each case had there been proper scouting the numbers and position of the enemy should have been ascertained. With the immense number of troops now available it seems incredible that small bands of 500 men should be marching through parts of the enemy's country known to contain large numbers of the Boers, and either falling into traps that they might expect or be surrounded by thi enemy whom they were seeking. It seems just as it' disaster were being courted. Certainly if it were desired : to play into the hands of the enemy no more deliberate and direct measures could be taken than in the two cases referred to. At Reddersourg there was no lack of pluck and endurance. For 21 hours our men fought and no doubt didt heir best, but without avail. It does not appear that the length of time occupied in an engagement is any criterion of the state of the death roll, for after four hours' fighting by Lord Methuen only seven Boers were killed, and as none escaped the number should be considered accurate. No wonder the London Times insists on the urgency of entrenching isolated positions to enable small bodies of men tc stand a seige. If our troops are to be moved about in small detachments some radical alteration in method will be necessary, or the flower of the brave * army will be ruthlessly mown down, Admitting that the recent reverses were but small, it is always the small things r that cause most trouble and friction, There is no uncertainty felt at the ; ultimate result of the war, but these petty losses savour too much of blundering to be accepted with dignified [serenity.